Planned Parenthood Executives Part of the "One Percent"

The "top one percent" of American earners, who have become heated targets of Democrats, Occupy Wall Street protesters, and the Obama administration, is not limited to the isolated crowd of corporate executives who run America’s financial institutions; it also includes top executives in organizations such as Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA), the "family planning" group responsible for the deaths of millions of unborn babies.

According to Planned Parenthood’s 2009-2010 annual report, the abortion business is booming, as the release shows the organization administering 329,455 abortions last year. These operations, along with other services the organization provides, have delivered PPFA more than a billion dollars in total net assets, a new record high.

However, spikes in business profits have not been the only contributors to the group’s 2010 financial boon, but also the millions of dollars in government funding it harvests every year. "Planned Parenthood received $487.4 million in government money in 2010, a huge jump from the $363.2 million reported last year," reported LifeSiteNews. "At the same time, contributions to the organization from private sources dropped from $308.2 million the year before to $223.8 million, a fact that pro-life groups have pointed to as apparent evidence of declining support for the abortion giant."

Jeannie DeAngelis, writing for the American Thinker, noted, "That is equivalent to 308,745,538 American citizens contributing $1.58 apiece to subsidize the running of a left-wing slaughterhouse." One PPFA spokeswoman even admitted that 90 percent of the $363.2 million flowed directly from the federal government or from Medicaid.

So what exactly are taxpayers funding when they are compelled to subsidize the abortion industry? Well, it’s not just the generous bounty of providing women with the "right to choose," but also the lavish salaries streaming to Planned Parenthood’s top executives.

Earlier this year, PPFA President Cecile Richards dismissed criticisms over her nearly $400,000 annual salary, calling allegations against her a slanderous facade spewed by the "far right." "It’s public record. It always has been," Richards said during an interview with Williamette Week, in response to a question regarding her sizable salary. "I work hard for my salary, and I think that’s a red herring."

But Richard is not the only top-tier earner on the organization’s payroll, as a PPFA CEO report based on IRS tax filings revealed that many CEOs and top executives in the organization collect annual incomes above $250,000 — the very benchmark that the Obama administration has defined as the "top one percent of income earners" who do not pay their fair share of taxes.

A report by the American Life League’s STOPP International, authored by Robert Gasper and Jim Sedlak, chronicled the pay scales of the organization’s top earners. LifeSiteNews reported on the analysis:

The report shows that the average salary of a CEO at a Planned Parenthood affiliate is $158,275. This falls in the top six percent of all household incomes in the United States. Thirty of the top executives receive salaries in excess of $200,000 (the top 2.67 percent of household income), while 18 of the executives rank in the top 1.5 percent with annual incomes in excess of $250,000.

Furthermore, detailed profiles included in the report show that of 81 PP affiliates studied, just 10 PP affiliates have CEOs (12 percent) who actually have a background in healthcare. Planned Parenthood receives almost half a billion dollars in tax subsidies to provide what it defines as "reproductive healthcare."

"Our research shows 88 percent of PP affiliate CEOs have no healthcare backgrounds," said Sedlak, vice president of American Life League. "But, they pay themselves quite well to claim they are first and foremost a critical healthcare provider to the poor." The authors highlighted some of the organization’s top eight salaries earned at the national office:

• President Cecile Richards $353,819

• Chief Operating Officer Maryana Iskander $288,886

• Chief Financial Officer Maria Acosta $263,443

• VP of Medical Affairs Vanessa Cullins $257,115

• VP of General Counsel Barbara Otten $251,379

• VP of Public Policy Laurie Rubiner $248,438

• VP of Operations Karen Ruffatto $247,932

• VP of Affiliates Lisa David $245,322

Moreover, Sedlak and Gasper cataloged the dozen highest salaries that were paid to CEOs of the following affiliates:

• PP North Texas, Dallas, TX (salary of previous CEO) $324,381

• PP Mar Monte, San Jose, CA (Linda Williams) $315,950

• PP Illinois, Chicago, IL (salary of previous CEO) $302,014

• PP Hudson Peconic, Hawthorne, NY (Reina Schiffrin) $296,908

• PP Northern New England, Williston,VT (Steve Trombley) $292,297

• PP Orange & San Bernadino, Orange, CA (Joe Dunn) $278,871

• PP Treasure Coast, West Palm Beach, FL (Lillian Tamayo) $275,238

• PP MN, SD & ND, St. Paul, MN (Sarah Stoesz) $268,710

• PP Heartland, Des Moines, IA (Jill June) $265,389

• PP Southern New England, New Haven, CT (Judy Tabar) $264,766

• PP Great Northwest, Seattle, WA (Chris Charbonneau) $259,405

• PP League of MA, Boston, MA (Dianne Luby) $256,474

"At a time when the economy is in trouble and the American taxpayer provides 46 percent of Planned Parenthood’s income," said Gasper, "it is incredible that the top eight people at PP’s headquarters — who provide no actual healthcare and never see a single client — make an average of $269,541 a year."

While Congress continues to debate the controversy over taxpayer-funded abortion subsidies, which are only adding to the towering federal deficit, one would think that the general public — including those in the Occupy Wall Street movement — would begin to question Congress’ reckless spending measures, especially in dealing with such a socially and politically polarized industry.

In fact, as OpposingViews.com suggested in a recent article, maybe OWS protesters should avoid Zuccotti Park altogether and "move their tents over to 434 W. 33rd Street in New York City, where Planned Parenthood Federation of America headquarters are located."

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